Just Like Old Times
by nobody3456
Summary: After another long day of college, Kim converses with one of her long-time friends.


_Set post-Graduation_

 **Just Like Old Times**

"…then I have two tests tomorrow, a project due a couple days after that, _and_ a term paper! Sorry, girl, but I'm gonna have to flake on this weekend."

Kim sighed as she rolled over onto her stomach on her dormitory bed, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear. "No big, Monique, really. We've all been there at one time or another."

"Yeah, well at least you've already been through this nonsense! You're lucky that you had your midterms a week earlier." She huffed "Alright, I'm gonna head out. Got a date with _classical mechanics_."

"Don't stress yourself out too much."

"I _wish._ "

Kim hung up the phone and flopped over onto her back. She glanced over at the alarm clock on her nightstand. _11:45 pm._

 _Everyone else is either out or busy one way or another._ She closed her eyes and thought wistfully to the simpler days, when school life was exciting but not stressful. Though even then, the teen heroine often busied herself with numerous extracurricular activities in order to stay on her toes. After all, competition and involvement was befitting of her Type A personality. But now that they – Kim and all those she knew – had gotten older, it was time to move on to the real world, time to move on with their priorities, time to move on from the past.

Ron and Monique were the closest to Kim at Middleton High School, but now that they had graduated they were split like leaves scattered in the breeze. Ron moved down to Lowerton University while Kim headed up to Upperton University; meanwhile, Monique had a full ride at The University of Go City. They initially considered sticking together, especially Kim and Ron, who feared a long-distance relationship would raise all kinds of new troubles. In the end, they put their emotional needs aside for what they felt was the rational choice. Nearly a semester had passed, and it was too late to turn back the clock. Already long gone were the days of tomfoolery, the days of haphazard fun, the days of impulsive decision-making.

Kim frowned. _That doesn't seem right at all._ Sure, she was a teenager – she still was – but the business Kim involved herself in was hardly _haphazard_ or _impulsive._ She saved the world on a daily basis which could hardly be considered a light burden. At some point she was already more adult than child, but even then her time fighting bad guys with her best friend turned boyfriend seemed fun. Even if the implications _didn't_ seem fun.

 _Speaking of bad guys…_ Kim turned on her side and reached over to the nightstand, grasping the Kimmunicator with her hands. Recently, even long-time rivals and super villains had been silent. Ever since the Lowardian invasion, there seemed to be an air of change around the usual group of enemies that regularly clashed with the teen heroine and her sidekick, and calls had been relatively scarce. She rolled onto her back and held the device above her, a child lost in wonderment. It was the old hand-held Kimmunicator that Kim had decided to take with her for old times' sake. She brushed her knuckles wistfully against the scratched buttons, worn from years of use in the field. As she glazed her fingers over the surface, her finger nail nicked the "call" button. The screen lit up with gray static as it patched its signal out.

Kim fumbled with the device, nearly dropping it on herself when the screen flicked on and the sound of a yawn came through the speakers.

"Kim? What's going on?"

She finally grasped the device and held it out. She smiled sheepishly at the boy on the screen, slouched over in his chair in blue pajamas. He was already in the process of another yawn.

"Sorry, Wade. I called on accident. Didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's no problem." He tapped lazily at his keyboard, glancing at the computer screen. "Since I'm up, might as well take a look…no calls on the site…" He felt another yawn coming on.

"Right…" Kim turned to her side, propping her head up on her knuckles. "That's always good, huh?"

"Yeah…" Wade turned to look at a side monitor, then squinted back at his computer screen. "Hey! You're using the old Kimmunicator."

Kim looked off to the side. "Yeah, I thought I'd keep it for old times' sake."

"I knew that broadcast frequency seemed oddly familiar." He seemed to be slightly more awake.

Kim looked on silently for a few moments before deciding that maybe talking would ease some tensions.

"Speaking of old times…do you mind staying up a bit longer, Wade? I just want to talk."

"Not at all. What do you want to talk about, Kim?"

Kim sighed heavily, unsure of where to start first. She went straight to the point. "It's just that…recently...doesn't it it feel like suddenly life is moving way too fast?"

"Not really."

"Like, one day you're having the time of your life, then the next you're overridden with endless responsibilities?

"Mhm."

"Sometimes I just wish that I could rewind the tape and relive all those moments again. Sure they were hectic, but they were good times nonetheless."

"Right."

Kim grunted. "Wade, are you even listening?"

Wade was now fully awake, typing away distractedly at his keyboard. "I hear you loud and clear Kim. But to be perfectly honest, I can't say I completely understand. I'm still just a kid, remember?"

Kim raised an eyebrow. "Yes, well this doesn't have much to do with being a kid so much as being _responsible_. When I started this hero biz I was still just a kid, too." She dropped her head onto a pillow. "By age you're still young, but in reality you're so much more. I mean, how many people can say they help save the world on a daily basis?"

Wade smirked. "You and Ron can."

Kim scoffed. "I mean-"

"Yeah, yeah I know what you mean." His printer hummed noisily as he printed out a document. He held it up and examined it as he continued to speak. "But still, we had fun. Even though the world was usually on the brink of destruction, which usually doesn't sound fun at all. You know what I mean?"

The teen rolled over onto her stomach. "That's exactly what I was thinking. It was a tough responsibility, but ironically we've had some pretty memorable experiences."

She took a deep breath. Wade could tell she wanted to continue and busied himself by comparing the contents of the document to something on screen.

"But now, I feel it's just that. A responsibility rather than an honor. It's just another task in the long list of priorities we have to deal with every day." As these thoughts ran through her head, Kim suddenly felt inexplicably exhausted. "I know it's for the common good, but…Wade, I feel like I'm starting to get over this saving-the-world business. Some days the only thing keeping me going is having Ron by my side. But then why push myself when I can just pursue a normal relationship? Sometimes I just want to settle down."

She turned back over to her side, simply staring at her friend tweaking a device in his hand. After a few moments Wade plugged the device into his computer and tapped away at his keyboard.

"But you continue saving the world anyway because, like you said, it's for the common good. Despite everything that gets to you, you push on. And that's what it's all about isn't it? Pushing forward, no matter what."

There was a pause. "Right. Pushing forward." Kim said quietly.

"And besides" Wade was putting away the tools that lay scattered on his desk "since when were you one to give up?"

"I wasn't giving up." Kim replied indignantly "I was just…."

"Conceding defeat? Surrendering?" He turned his full attention to her now, a broad smile across his face "Kim, what makes you, _you_ isn't necessarily the crime-fighting or the world-saving. What makes you Kim Possible is not letting the circumstances keep you down. Even if you need a little encouraging."

Kim couldn't help but smile back. She thought back to a moment when she needed some _real_ encouraging to lift her spirits. "I guess that's all that matters, huh?"

The teen rolled over onto her back, holding the Kimmunicator at arm's length. "Sometimes I just wish I had the same youthful energy I did back then."

Wade raised an amused eyebrow. "Well, some say we never truly age. Isn't that right, Pandaroo?"

Kim was suddenly aware that she was cuddling the stuffed animal and reddened slightly, partially from frustration and partially from embarrassment.

"Yeah? Well, I would agree, hmmm, Dinoman?"

Wade was taken aback, slightly red himself. "I, uh, how do you know about that?"

They both shared a hearty laugh. Wade yawned; similarly, Kim felt exhaustion creeping in.

"I'm glad we could talk, Wade. It means a lot."

"Same here." He said, looking as tired as he did when he first answered the call.

"As always, you rock."

He raised his lips in fatigued smile "See you later, Kim."

The Kimmunicator blinked off and Kim was left alone once again. She set the device face-down on her nightstand, her mind at ease. Lying in bed with Pandaroo close to her side, she looked up at the ceiling with heavy eyes. She decided that she would face whatever new challenge, no matter how monotonous or stressful, head on. Her past was there to remind her of who she was, but not to consumer her overall well-being. Kim made a mental note to contact Ron and Monique the next day; school work would still be a priority, but she wouldn't let it get in the way of their plans. Satisfied, she allowed her eyes to droop as she slipped into unconsciousness.

 _Beep beep be-beep!_

Kim groaned. She reached out her hand and blindly patted around the nightstand, firmly hitting the snooze button on her alarm clock.

 _Beep beep be-beep!_

When the alarm continued to go off, she sat up, bed head hair splayed out in all directions. She turned and squinted her bloodshot eyes at the clock. _3:20 am. What the…? The alarm shouldn't be going off for another four hours…_

 _Beep beep be-beep!_

Kim's eyes widened when she realized what the sound really was. She reached over and flipped over the hand held Kimmunicator to find that it was still shut off.

 _Beep beep be-beep!_

She finally looked down at her arm where the wrist Kimmunicator had been strapped since earlier that evening – well technically earlier _yesterday_ evening.

She answered the call and Wade appeared. Like Kim, he had monstrous bags and his eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion. But inwardly they were both on alert, adrenaline flowing even before the situation was clear; it was just another normal call.

"Wade, what's the sitch?"

"We got a hit! Drakken and Shego are on the move. They just broke into a top secret experimental weapons facility. I'll patch the coordinates to your Kimmunicator. A ride should there in about twenty minutes."

"Alright. Patch Ron in while I get ready."

"Already on it." The screen flicked off.

Kim swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, thoroughly stretching her muscles. _Gotta dress for the occasion…_ She scrambled around her room, digging through dresser drawers. _Where did I put my mission clothes?_ She opened the closet door. _C'mon, I don't have time for this! Where could I have put it?_ She fumbled through clothes hampers. _I never lose things!_ She crouched over her backpack, turning up only books and papers.

Kim stood up, sighing at her predicament. Scanning the entire dorm room, she caught a glance at the full-length mirror leaning up against a corner. Upon seeing her reflection, she did a double take while a grin split across her face.

She was already wearing her mission outfit.


End file.
